Children learn letters, numbers and the name of various objects by audible repetition accompanied with visualization of the object. Often, a parent or teacher will read a book aloud while pointing to the object depicted by the word which is read. In this way, the child is able to visually associate the object with its name. This method of teaching is generally passive, i.e., there may be little interaction between the child and subject matter. Interactive teaching methods using multiple sensory perceptions are more effective than mere memorization.
Voice synthesizers are used as communication devices for disabled adults. One such example is described in Medical & Biological Engineering and Computing, January 1979, titled "Verbal Communication Aid for Non-Vocal Patients." This article describes a voice synthesizer to speed communication for speech impaired patients. Each device includes a keyboard networked via a commercial telephone by a wire connection to a central voice generating system. The use of the central system permits many individual boards to employ a single-control unit, thereby reducing the to total cost of each device. In this way, a number of boards in a single geographic area can utilize the same control unit. This device may additionally be used as a teaching or translation aid. In such an application, the keys are covered with letters or numbers and, when depressed, produce a voice response. This device is advantageous in that a child may use the device interactively alone, without close supervision. The parent or teacher can then attend to other matters. However, the keys are substantially identical, the differences appearing only in a typed letter on each key. An article title ".mu. C-Based Key-to-Speech Synthesizer Gives Stroke Victims A Voice" EDN Design News Feb. 20, 1978) by Sam Davis discloses a system for producing the basic sounds of speech. Each spoken word is broken into phonemes to simulate a word. This system uses phonemic command words to control a synthesizer. Other devices use voice synthesis devices for various purposes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,357,489 to Henderson, assigned to Texas Instruments Incorporated, and 4,689,811 to Kroon each disclose an integrated circuit for synthesizing speech. U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,350 to Batra employs such an integrated circuit in a child's shoe to provide an audible message when opening or closing the shoe.
Prior art devices of the kind mentioned above, however, fail to provide meaningful visual indicia attractive to children which can facilitate learning when incorporating voice synthesis devices.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,533 to Michael C. Wood, there is a significant advance made in the art to overcome some of the deficiencies noted above. This invention further builds and improves on the advances made in the Wood '533 patent. The device described herein provides many advantages over prior art devices in such a way as to invite interaction with children and facilitate the learning process for speaking, reading and memorization.